Friends + Fish = Fun!

We wrapped up September with a fun visit from our friends the Dymocks. They were nice enough to drive up from Portland to hang out with us for the weekend.

We spend Saturday at the Vancouver Aquarium:

 

On our way home we stopped for a bit at the Vancouver Temple. It's fun to bring the kids here since they don't get to see the temple as often as we do.

 

(Little friends Samantha and Connor)

Happy Birthday, Rhett!

Rhett turned 4! (Can anyone tell I'm behind on the blog?)

This was his Cars 2 "cake." (Apparently we didn't get a pictures before people started digging in.) I had really planned on doing something nicer, but in the end I think I felt burned out and he ended up with cupcakes from a box (and homemade icing!), with sprinkles and Cars 2 character pictures printed off the computer and stuck in the cupcakes with toothpicks. (Come to think of it, his 3rd birthday cake was a little on the lame side too... Sorry, Rhett!)

Hey! Here's photographic evidence of the 3rd birthday cake lameness, since I apparently don't have a blog post to link to! Bless Rhett's heart for loving me anyway.

Our friends and neighbors from across the street came over to celebrate with us: Nayla, Guillermo, and Guillermo Jr.

Love this happy boy! Rhett is our most passionate child by far. Thankfully, his extreme sweetness makes up for any extremities in the... other direction (which are nothing if not plentiful).

Here's hoping for a better birthday cake when you turn 5!

Wrapping up 2011: Sad things first

Don't worry, it's not tragic sad.  But there has been a bit of a cloud over our house since mid-December.

Our good friends, the Katschkes, took advantage of a new opportunity and relocated to Panaca, Nevada.  It's always hard to say goodbye to friends, and it was very hard to say goodbye to these ones.  Paul and Nate were in the Construction Management program together at BYU and our families moved to Bellingham at the same time.  They rented a house down the street from the one we rented for a while, and Nate helped Paul get a job with Dawson Construction after some miserable months with another company.  After we bought a house, Nate and Cassie bought one several months later in the same neighborhood.  For nearly a year we enjoyed close proximity to these great people.

Benjamin and Rhett are especially fond of their friends Jada and Payton.  Here they are a few days before the move.

(No picture of Shaylee, but I sure thought she and Lucy would become good friends.)

Let me tell you, I have (hopefully) learned my lesson about taking friends for granted.  As their departure became imminent, Cassie and I repeatedly said to each other, "Why didn't we have dinner more often?  Why didn't we hang out more often?  Why, why, why?"  I guess it wasn't till they were leaving that we really appreciated what their family was to ours.

We said several goodbyes in the hours leading up to their final departure.  The night before the big move I couldn't resist bringing the kids over one more time while Paul was already there with the scouts helping to finish loading the truck and clean up.  It was late at night, but the kids were all still excited to play with each other.

Here's Rhett getting in one last game of hide-and-seek.

The hugs goodbye.

And the late-at-night, not-so-flattering picture of our two families.  (Why didn't we take more pictures over the years??)

This post really doesn't do justice to all the feelings we have about the Katschkes and their move.  It would be insufficient to try.  While we wish them the best, we miss them daily and are looking forward to the summer when we will hopefully be able to get together in Utah.

BYU vs. Oregon State Football Game

This past Saturday I (Paul) with a few good friends was able to attend the BYU vs. Oregon State football game in Corvallis, OR.  It was great game highlighted with a lot of hard hits, great running, passing and receiving, The Jimmer and LaVell Edwards, loud fans, and a BYU victory (38-28)!  The game was not as close as the final score makes it seem and other than the last 5 minutes of the 2nd quarter BYU held control of the game.  Here are a few photos from game day... and if you couldn't guess the last photo is my favorite... definitely a dream come true!

CougarTown Tailgate Party; Britney, Elisa & Aaron, John, Ryan, Me, and Nate

 Me, Cosmo, and Nate

Reser Stadium, Corvallis, Oregon

Part of the offensive unit; Quarterbacks James Lark (#3), Riley Nelson (#13), and Jake Heaps (#9), among others...

Coach Bronco Mendenhall

Jordan Pendleton, the hardest hitting most fierce BYU Cougar looking like an Under Armor athlete.

Moments before game time!!

The Jimmer and fiancee Whitney were in attendance.

I'll stick with CTR, thanks.

LaVell Edwards getting some attention from Cosmo.

Final score on video board with the head coaches congratulating each other.

Me and LaVell Edwards!!

(A dream come true!)

GO COUGARS!!

Easter Egg Hunt, April 9, 2011

Our whole family enjoyed a fun Easter egg hunt hosted by our friends John and Misha Young to celebrate their younger son's first birthday.  (Benjamin and their older son, Caleb, are good buddies.)  Several other friends from our ward attended as well.  The egg hunt took place in the community garden near the Youngs' home, and afterward we had a delicious lunch and birthday cake while the kids played.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

(Photo courtesy of Misha)